George Pugh begins his first season at the University of Houston, hired in January to coach the Cougar wide receivers. Pugh comes to UH from UAB, a Conference USA rival of the Cougars.

Pugh has more than 20 years experience in the collegiate coaching ranks, coaching the Blazer defensive ends in 2005-06. For Pugh, it was his second stint as a member of the UAB coaching staff. He was an assistant coach with the Blazers from 1995-2000, working with running backs, tight ends, defensive ends and wide receivers during that time. His first season at UAB was also Brown's initial year in Birmingham as the Blazers' head coach.

Pugh was involved in the recruitment of several Blazers who completed their senior seasons in 2004, but he also was the primary recruiter of former UAB All-Conference USA quarterback Darrell Hackney out of Atlanta's Douglass High School.

Pugh returned to UAB after spending two years as the head coach at Meadowcreek High School in metro-Atlanta. Prior to that stint, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach on the staff at Arkansas.

Pugh came to UAB in January 1995, from Luverne (Ala.) High School, where he was the offensive coordinator in 1994. Prior to that, Pugh was the head football coach and athletic director at Selma (Ala.) High School for two years (1992-93).

Prior to joining the staff at UAB, Pugh was the head coach at Alabama A&M (1989-91). During his tenure, the Bulldogs posted an overall record of 19-10 and won three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships; they participated in the Division II playoffs in 1991.

He was also an assistant coach with Jackie Sherrill at Texas A&M University (1982-89) and the University of Pittsburgh (1981). Texas A&M was 50-26 during his eight seasons with the Aggies, winning three Southwest Conference titles and making three Cotton Bowl appearances.

Pittsburgh won the Big East title and played in the Sugar Bowl during his one season with the Panthers.

Pugh got his start in coaching in 1976 as an assistant coach at Columbia High School in Decatur, Ga. Two years later, he was the head coach at Columbia, leading the program to a 7-3 record, a district championship, and the regional playoffs.

He got his start in collegiate coaching at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga as an assistant. In two seasons (1979-80) there, the Moccasins were 20-2 and won a pair of Southern Conference titles.

Pugh earned his undergraduate degree in health, physical education, and recreation from the University of Alabama in 1976. He was a four-year starter and letterwinner at tight end for Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant; during those four years (1972-75), the team posted a 44-1 record, making four post-season bowl appearances and winning a national championship in 1973.

Pugh is married to the former Lelettrice Hines. The couple has three daughters -- Stephanie, April and Brittany; and three sons, Marcus, Michael George and Joshua.